One of two newly approved drugs for Alzheimer’s disease has been submitted for National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage, and it might be discussed by the end of the year, National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.
Shih made the remark at a book launch in Taipei, where author Lin Ching-yun (林靜芸), a celebrity cosmetic surgeon, introduced her new book on caring for her husband, Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁), former Minister of Health and former superintendent of three medical centers, who developed dementia five years ago.
The establishment of the Professor Lin Fang-yue Medical Education and Health Foundation was also announced at the news conference.
Photo: Lin Chih-yi, Taipei Times
Shih, who was a student of Lin Fang-yue, attended the event and was asked by reporters about the new Alzheimer’s disease drugs.
Last week, the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City announced that one of the newly approved Alzheimer’s drugs, Kisunla, the brand name of the monoclonal antibody donanemab, developed by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co, would be administered for the first time in Taiwan today.
Shih said that there are currently two FDA-approved drugs for Alzheimer’s treatment in Taiwan, with one having already applied for NHI coverage.
The other drug is Leqembi, the brand name of lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody medication developed jointly by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and US pharmaceutical company Biogen.
Kisunla and Leqembi have demonstrated the ability to slow cognitive decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s.
Kisunla is undergoing a health technology assessment (HTA), Shih said, adding that it typically takes at least 45 days to complete, depending on the completeness of the data provided by the pharmaceutical company.
For the drug to be included in NHI coverage, it must first pass the HTA, then undergo specialists’ reviews, before the Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee makes a final decision, which could take at least six months, Shih said.
Asked if Kisunla might be included in NHI coverage by the end of the year, Shih said that it was possible that discussions could begin before the year ends, but since Leqembi is also expected to apply for NHI coverage, both drugs might be discussed together.
Asked for confirmation, Shih said that the NHIA had only received an official application for Kisunla, but reportedly, Leqembi intends to apply as well, so there is no fixed timeline for when they would be included.
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